Julia Roberts Isn’t ACTUALLY Julia “Roberts”?? | Finding Your Roots | Sponsored by Ancestry®
Julia Roberts discovers her ACTUAL great-great-grandfather and gets a new last name, on Finding Your Roots with Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
visitancestry.com/3IoElhN
Ancestry® is proud to support Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. Watch all new episodes Tuesdays at 8/7c on PBS. Learn more or check your local listings: www.ancestry.com/c/finding-yo...
Subscribe: bit.ly/AncestrySubscribe
About Ancestry:
Start your family history journey today with Ancestry®. With our massive collection of historical records, access to family trees, and DNA technology, we’re here to help you discover your personal history.
Connect with Ancestry:
Visit Ancestry’s Official Site: www.ancestry.com/
Like Ancestry on Facebook: bit.ly/AncestryFB
Follow Ancestry on Twitter: bit.ly/AncestryTwitter
Follow Ancestry on Instagram: bit.ly/AncestryIG
00:00 Introduction
0:25 Julia Roberts’s story begins with her great-grandfather
1:23 Julia Roberts searches for biological 2nd great-grandfather
2:52 Julia Roberts’s real last name revealed
3:31 Julia Roberts’s family mystery is solved
Julia Roberts had her mind blown with this DNA discovery. What is the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your family tree?
That my family name is actually Leonard. I was a family member in the first season of Relative Race, and they gave me a DNA test. My Daddy passed away a month before the first episode aired and it wasn't until about June of 2016 that I pieced together the puzzling results that I got from the test. The man who raised him was not his biological father. The man who raised my biological grandfather's father (confused yet?) was not HIS biological father, but his mother's cousin, who she married not long before she died. Imagine having to figure this out on your own without the professional help that you provide to celebrities.
I'm at a road block but I have a document that my great grandfather was an from a different country
I am a descendant of Étienne Brûlé. Not super mind blowing, the family knew we were related, but thought it was through a family member of his not him himself.
@@RacyXue wow interesting point
Learned my ex-husband, father of our five children, is my eleventh cousin on our mothers' sides. I tell people southern Indiana is so inbred I had to go too Michigan to find a cousin distant enough to marry.
People take secrets to the grave and Ancestry digs those secrets back up. I’m glad, because it gives us the gift of knowing.
I don’t know if Ancestry can dig up most of the secrets in my family. We wouldn’t even know where to start. 😂😂😂😂
not to those who passed thinking - "thank god...no one will ever know now...."
@@9razzler9you know lol!!😂😂😂
Right, guys are staying single for a reason
@@CatEyedGoddessgenealogy plus DNA will give you a LOT of answers. You might have to persist. It took me a long time to identify a couple of missing family lines, but they're there in the DNA.
I can't imagine that was much of a secret at the time. "The lady who lives alone keeps having kids, even though her husband died 10 years ago".
WHOSE it was prob tho
@@YeshuaKingMessiah maybe not to her.
Yea
I feel for Julia here, finding out this kind of information while you're being filmed. I worked on my family genealogy for 10 years, couldn't get any further back in my father's line because both of his grandfathers were illegitimate, so I got a DNA test done. Found out he wasn't really MY father and I'd grown up with the wrong name just like Julia. It's fascinating to find out, but devastating at the same time. But it does make you realize "family" has nothing to do with your DNA.
I would ask ... Were you loved? That is all that is important. Family is everything, not simply a tiny drop of blood.
@@judegirl7607 For the most part, yes, but from a fairly young age I felt like I was an outsider in my family. Then finding out about my biological father after both he and my mother had passed made me really angry with my mom. I felt like the least she could've done was leave me a letter to read after her passing. If she had done, I would've still had 2 years to get to know my biological father. I realize she probably had her reasons, but it made me feel very unloved. Fortunately, I've met all four of my half sisters and their mother and they've made me feel very welcome in their family.
@@kindking8009 That is a lot to process . I feel you , was good to read your new family welcomed you with open arms
In her case, it was a few generations ago, not her direct parents, so its less of an issue I think?
@@coolspot18 Probably, yes, but it takes something out of you to find out you're not who you thought you were and people who are supposed to love you have been more self-serving than honest. And to find that out while a camera is on you...I just can't imagine.
Dr. Gates is awesome. He is the perfect host for this show and leads the guests down the path of their heritage with aplomb. Wish we could all have that experience!
He asks "How does that make you feel?" more often than Oprah or Barbara Walters. Let them react their own way.
Right!?
Unless it's Ben Affleck
Not everyone meeds that though, so don't generalize.
@@markbrown7913 Lmao, right)))
Found my family through ancestry mother still alive 101. In puerto rico. Went to pr to her. She was happy. Then she died
That's very cool that you got to meet each other before she died.
Happy you did get to meet her and your extended family 🙏
I bet meeting you gave her a sense of peace, she just had to see her baby before moving on. I'm glad you found your family, found her.
I'm glad you got to meet her before her passing. I believe she was waiting for you. ❤️
At least you got to reunite one final time. Some people never get to know from whom they came from. Something is better than nothing and I do see how hard that must have been as well. It really is remarkable though, you got that one last shot. 💖🙏💫🌎
Wow. From this airing, I was able to find direct ancestors for Henry McDonald Mitchell who were already in my family tree. Julia Fiona Roberts is my 10th cousin, once removed.
How cool!
I am related to Andy Griffith and Trisha Yearwood through my father and Robert Downey Jr. through my mother. Nothing closer than 5th cousin though.
@@peachygal4153 I’ve been building my tree for about five years now. Finding relatives who were famous use to blow my mind. Now, nothing really surprises me that much any more.
@@peachygal4153 So does that mean that Andy Griffith is related to Robert Downey Jr.?
@@peachygal4153 wow amazing
I had the same thing happened to me, I was raised to believe we were Busby‘s, but when DNA became available I found out that we were not related to any of the Busby side, found out that my great grandmother had affair with a married man who lived next-door and we match all his descendants and his family to DNA, crazy the gift that God has given to change our family history with DNA and especially solving cold cases.
@Mark Deaton my family is from Hardin, Tx.
Here in France this private DNA industry is illegal. Only medical professionals can conduct DNA tests. We are only jurisdiction where this is true.
I know a guy whose last name is Busby. He's Korean, though, so I'm sure he was adopted. Either way, he's an amazing person
@@anthonyfuqua6988 I have quite an ancestry tree line that hailed from Nice, and Luceram, FR. I dug through the AGAM and found a good 500 years worth of them. I'm sure they go back further, but 1500's is all that is indexed thus far. It was something else to find. What I wanted to find is written articles of one who was a journalist during the reign of Napoleon - more work required there.
@@lmc2375 Yes I have gone through Catholic Church records to follow my fathers line back to the 1400's. Nicolas Fouquet is an ancestor. My mothers line if French also but comes through a more Germanic line around Strausborg and info doesnt go as far back. I just dont understand why we can't buy the kits. Who would it hurt?
My dad took one of these test before passing away and a couple of months later my cousin took one as well. It turned out that my dad and his sister were only half-siblings (same mom, different dad's) we were sure confused at first, because my grandparents divorced way later in life and there was always talks of infidelity on both sides but nothing could have been confirmed. Turns out grandma was very cheeky all along.
wow! I wonder if your grandfather knew. I feel back in the day couples would keep things like that a secret to keep the family together and avoid a scandalous situation.
these mothers are trifling, maury should make everyone get a test
Reminds me of a saying from the elders…Mama’s baby, Pappa’s maybe. No judgement as we have no idea what was endured in a union.
@@Armed-Forever not just the mothers. My grandfather had a outside kid as do others in my family
@@anndeecosita3586 the issue isn’t having a kid with someone else, it’s lying about who the parent is, men don’t do this because the kid knows who the mother is cuz they birthed them, only women do this
Can you imagine the screams of the Mitchells who just realized they are related to Julia Robert’s? Lol
Here’s one! 🎉
I’m adopted and found my biological family two years ago. I found out my bio mom was 16 and went on to have a semi successful modeling career in the 70s. So much so, I’d seen her growing up. My dad’s side was more interesting, my great uncle survived the titanic. Both sets of parents are gone now…. But I do have extended biological families that have been nice to meet. Don’t ever think genetics doesn’t contribute to who you are as a person. I’ve learned so much.
Yes to genetics! I too am adopted and found my biological family. I've met my biological Father, my Poppa he is now 92 years old. We talk everyday and see each other when it's warm,he lives in Minnesota...brrr ! My Mother had already passed away. But I have 2 half siblings on her side. And my Grandmother was one of 15, so you do the math on cousins,Aunts etc! Lol ! It's been such an amazing journey finding them. Spending time with them and mostly being accepted and welcomed with open arms.
@@KrissiCreates your story sounds so much like mine! Except I missed meeting both biological parents. I too have two half siblings, one from my mother and one from my father. I was brought up so much differently than them. I never really fit in and now I really know why. Genetics plays a huge roll in who you are along with upbringing. But your story is awesome!! I’ve come away with a few relatives and this year I’m hoping to meet more. My mother’s side knew about me, my father’s side had no idea and either did he. So I was a surprise. I just lost my adoptive father at 90 last month. So at 54 I really feel like an orphan. I’m so glad to have welcoming biological family.
@@sugar2th173 Your situation is much like mine. Father knew nothing about me, but accepted me. I had 4 half siblings on his side. My sister just under me in age and I could be twins, accept she got the curly blonde hair and I have board straight blonde hair! Lol ! Sadly we lost her 2 years ago the 15th of this month. My great Aunt on my Mother's side, is the only one left that knew the truth about my birth and adoption and verified it all at the huge family reunion. My Aunt was in denial until Great Aunt spoke up. Plus DNA doesn't lie ! Lol !
@@KrissiCreates oh wow!! I’m sorry you lost your sister. Yes!! On my dad’s side there was some denial, but when they saw the DNA connections nobody could deny it. Amazing! Awesome your great aunt spoke up for you!! DNA doesn’t lie!! Enjoy your new relations! I waited so many years and finally!! I’m happy for us both and so happy you still have your biological father! That is wonderful.
@@sugar2th173 Yes ! We are so lucky. I was 60 when I found my family. 5 years later I'm still learning and being passed down some of my Norwegian roots traditions ! I'm trying to help my BFF find her Bio family. Closest so far are 4th and 5th cousins. Enjoy your journey !!!
This exact thing happened to my mother. I discovered her 2x great grandmother's husband died 3 years before her great grandfather was born. I only noticed it when the DNA wasn't adding up. It turned out to be a man she was living with when the great grandfather was 7 years old. She was listed as his maid and he was 20 years younger than her. Never would have suspected, but DNA doesn't lie! My mother gets a kick out of telling her brothers they have the wrong last name.
I tell people all the time you may think you know what your lineage is, but you don't really know until you see the DNA. Both my brother and I found out through DNA testing that the man we thought was our father, wasn't, and we each have different fathers. So we're only half siblings. Explains a lot!
The young master “having his way” with a maid who couldn’t refuse him? It was very, very common.
Westerner problems 😂😂😂
@@td2222 Maybe not, if there was coercion or abuse of power, then it's a universal problem
@@yevgeniyaleshchenko849 Nope. Still western behavior.
This is why I love doing genealogy research on family. I learned so much. I was able to find out some interesting information on my paternal grandmother. It helped me to understand some painful issues that she had to deal with. I was also able to discover how my Uncle, her first born son, received his name. Every family has had to deal with something painful, shameful, embarrassing, etc. But, everyone deserves to know the truth about who they are and where they came from.
My paternal grandfather was adopted in 1894 and my maternal grandmother was adopted in 1889. I have since tracked down both sets of biological parents, and uncovered some interesting family stories relative to both adoptions.
I have an ancestor that was a foster child (found from a newspaper clipping) and identified as adopted in the 1900 census. However, I haven't found any formal adoption papers and he wasn't listed in the will, yet he took the family name. I also haven't found paperwork linking him to the biological relatives I've discovered, but I'm confident I've found his family via DNA cousins. I'm curious on your journey. Did you find any records that helped you with the adoption information or did you rely solely on DNA matches?
What country are you from? My grandfather, born in 1919, was adopted, but there was no such thing as legal adoption in the UK back then. The law wasn't introduced until 1930 in my country (Scotland).
@@Naisavrein Minnesota in the USA. My grandfather was legally adopted in 1894. They had legal adoption in 1889 in North Dakota when my grandmother was adopted, but I can find no record of legal adoption, so I suspect they may have bought her from the birth mother. I had my 96 year old mother take a DNA test, and thanks to a lot of 2nd and 3rd cousin matches coupled with a search of divorce records I was able to determine who both of her birth parents were.
And?????????
Guys, you can't leave us with such cliffhangers!!!
As someone who is adopted… a name is just a name. Whether she grew up as Robert’s, Mitchell or Smith… her family is still her family. Fun stuff!
But it isn’t just a name, as records reveal.
@@monstermcboo7282 hmmm it is just a name. Doesn’t change who she or who parents are. Rose by any other name is still a Rose. It didn’t appear that she had any attachment to the person she was told was her ancestor. If had, that might make her second-guess her lineage… but not apparently in this case and again… it’s simply a name. Many people change their own names… it happened a lot with people who arrived to the Americas from non-Anglo countries. They Anglicized their names so as not to stand out. Doesn’t change who there truly were at that time. :)
She is here because the Mitchells lived
It isn’t just a name. My surname is precious to me. I know exactly where I come from because of it, and it is as heritable as the physical family traits we can trace back over 250 years. I will never relinquish my surname to take the name of my husband, though I love and respect him beyond measure. It is more than a name and always has been. Your adoptive parents gave you their name, I’m assuming, which is an act exemplary in itself of how very important NAME is to humanity.
@@monstermcboo7282 Different opinions and I respect yours. Cheers ~
Finding out about one's own family line, can be a very big roller-coaster ride! So many different emotions and secrets are revealed too! Thanks so much for your time and efforts for researching!
DECEPTION of the masses. She is a male. Study anatomy. Most of the "elite" are flipped.
Dr Gates, Skippy to his friends is simply awesome in all he does. An Intellect and beyond reproach. Rare these days
what would be cool is if Julia Roberts ,who played Martha Mitchell, turned out to be related to Martha Mitchell
Martha Mitchell was a Beall before she became a Mitchell, but I also thought this coincidence was noteworthy!
I've recently found out (2 tests) my father is not my bio father. I'd been researching trying to find my maternal grandmother's people as she was adopted and always wanted to know. I succeeded in that search but also found out the interesting fact on my paternal side. Still processing the information and figuring out how to share with my family.
Confront your mother. She knows who your biological father is, and owes it to you to tell you. After you know your paternal circumstances, you can decide what next steps, if any, to take. But first find out how you were conceived, under what circumstances.
Yes, talk to your mother. Even if she gets upset over her "secret", you need and have the right to know the truth. I had to do the same. Don't hold a grudge, parents are human, but you do need to know the truth, for medical reasons if nothing else. You may or may not be able to connect with bio-paternal family, some do and some don't. I have never found out whether bio-dad knew about me; was he a deadbeat dad and just walked away or was he not told??? Idk and probably never will know, but his family is completely unaccepting so... good riddance. I did find out that bio-dad died of cancer, Idk what kind, and have researched his family and know other medical issues. That is enough b/c I will never connect with them, they are not open and THEY are the ones missing out!! I have a shirt that says, "I did a DNA test and God is my Father" ❤ and He will never walk away and He will never be a deadbeat dad and He will never hide the truth ❤ Like Julia, I discovered that my son is named after this unknown descendant, and I also discovered that I have a smidge of Ashkenazi Jewish DNA, which I LOVE!!
If your "family father" lives, do not tell him about your Bio father!
@emmaschulze It's possible he already knows, mine did, but yeah, talk to mother first.
I'm going through the same thing. Found out a couple weeks ago. Good luck to you
I traced my fathers ancestors from Toxteth in Liverpool UK across the Irish sea to Ireland then to Scotland in the 1600s and found my ancestor Thomas Crawford .... the same name as my dad , I've always loved the pipes kilts and all the Celts its in my blood. My mums father was from Tullamore in Western Ireland Martin McDonnell. Fascinating love it.
Must be super shocking to discover all these things in public, my love goes to her ❤️
I think, she nearly cried...
I feel bad for her.😢
I think many people have a similar story. One guy discovered by his Y chromosome for his last name did not match but the name was in his family tree that his chromosome matched. He did research and figured out his great grandparents were actually his second great grandparents. their daughter apparently had a child before she got married and they claimed the baby as theirs. another person found out his ancestors died, and their child was raised by the wife's brother, and he took his uncle's surname.
Wow
That was quite common even a couple of generations ago. One of my dad's aunts passed away shortly after the birth of her third child. The father already had two kids under 5 and didn't feel he could cope with a baby. A family meeting was held and the aunt's brother and his wife who were childless took him at about one month old and raised him as their child. It was no secret he regularly saw his siblings at family gatherings and knew they weren't cousins but siblings
Watched this episode last night. Julia Roberts’ and Edward Norton’s ancestry were profiled. Their ancestors were fascinating, influential, and some very tenacious people, as are they. I really enjoy PBS’s Finding Your Roots; it’s always entertaining and reveals historical information I hadn’t heard before.
Can't wait to watch it! I wait for new episodes of this show like the DNA/genealogy addict that I am. Haha! I need my fix.
@@VeganSemihCyprus33 I’ll look it up. Thanks!
So amazing. I learned that my paternal Granfather, best man I have ever known in my life, was not my biological Grandfather. My Grandmother always held her cards close to her chest when it came to their marriage date. She refused to have a 50th year Anniversary celebration. Turns out, she and Granddaddy didn't actually get married until my father was 6 months old. When she conceived, my Grandfather was serving with the Navy Seabees, in the Pacific, during WWII. Never could have imagined this. I am glad that I found this out, through ancestry, but it hasn't really changed anything. My Grandfater Maness is my true family and my biological grandfather was justt a silly, simple, foolish person who didn't have sense to know a good woman when he had one. He was merely a sperm doner and I am glad that he was never in my family's lives.
@Hello James how are you doing?
@@lydiaader781 How are you Lydia?
@@jamesmaness6308 Good I was snuffing trough my KZhead Chanel when I came across your comment in a reply. Hope you don’t mind?
Watched this the other night on PBS and was blown away.. Think about what must be going through Julia's mind after learning this. Your whole perception of yourself is flipped. We all have some deeeeeep stories in our family history. ALL OF US.
It changes nothing, but yet it changes everything, that is how I feel. She and her family will be in shock. So many questions, very few answers, including "should I try to connect with these people?" Bless her heart.
I hope for Rhoda that she welcomed the "relationship" with Mitchell...
Wow, Dr. Gates is amazing at being the host. He is knowledgeable and personable. He really brings you into the story.
My mother in law 80 came out a few months ago and told her three sons that she was adopted....It was a mind blowing experience for them all....Their mother had known most of her life but never told her children or husband for all their lives....I hope they can get mum to do a DNA test
We have a similar mystery. No one knows who my husband’s great-grandfather was on his paternal side. Our last name stems from the great-grandmother. My father-in-law told us soon before he died that we should be Snyder. When we asked him more about it later, he couldn’t recall saying it. But he has no recollection of his grandfather - just his grandmother. One day, I will get to the bottom of it.
We wish you all the best in your search, Dawn! Thanks for sharing with us!
I experienced ur situation. Dna testing solved the almost century old mystery within a week. It blew my mind. Good luck
So for us Doc Martin fans, this is the real Julie Mitchell! What a surprise. There are a lot of those in our family histories. Good for her.
I did the ancestry thing and figured out that I was surrounded by my ancestors. The furthest back I found was one 4x great grand father. That is seven generations counting me. I visited his grave. I found several 3x great grand parents. I bought D2 and cleaned their headstones. Planted bulbs. It was fun and enriching. A lot of interesting and sometimes sad stories. I found two cherokee women in my ancestory. A 2x ggm and a 3x ggm on the next blood line over. Finding your ancestors graves and visiting them makes it real. I higly recommend doing it.
It's amazing that through DNA technology + genealogy research they are able to solve this kind of misteries of past centuries. It's mind blowing like Julia said.
I suspect that this type of new family historical information will be quite prevalent as new DNA science keeps improving and the sharing of records and DNA results from other Ancestry members comes available. I am just finding out all kinds of cool stuff about my own family after researching for the last 10+ years. Amazing stuff keeps turning up! Thank you for sharing! ❤️
Cool, but in some cases, like Julia’s and mine, and maybe yours, some secrets! My family name turns out to actually be the name of my paternal great-grandmother’s second husband, who is not related to any of us. And, my actual paternal great-grandfather may have been a traveling salesman, because there’s no record of marriage or even co-habitation. Thanks to Ancestry, I know who he was, where his home was, (a different state), and that he (at some point) had a wife and kids. Just not with Grandma.
Yes, and genetics medical research will one day soon find cures for diseases.
That’s another thing. Be expected to be mind-blown. It’s an emotional roller-coaster ride that can also take you into some dark places - just like life in general. But I would rather know than be left in the dark. Some things were challenging, but with perseverance, I developed the muscle to deal with it.
Myself and friends have discovered some interesting things about our families, and we've all concluded there's no point in hiding anything. It all comes out in the end.
This is more prevalent than we know. Often children would take on the last name of the man who helped the mother raise the kids. It was a different time back then. They didn't have "time" to sort through lineage details. _"Kid, you're now a 'Roberts'"_ _"Yes'm"_ And that's how it starts.
This was such a great episode to kick off the new season!! My mind has been astounded over the years of watching this show but Ed Norton's ancestry is MIND BLOWING!!!
Hello, how are you?
I've never wanted to delve into the family genealogy thing. There always seemed to be enough evidence immediately present that my gene pool was shallow almost beyond measure. Not so much a "family tree" as a thicket of weeds. I felt like I'd be opening a pandora's garden.
Many others feel the same way. My husband does not want to know, I do. I am not concerned about what others who lived befor me may or may not have done. It’s all interesting.
Are you from a population where endogamy is the norm? I’m Norwegian and a LDS descendant, I feel your pain. 😂 but it’s great fun for me. And I help others now as well.
@@Seashellsbytheseashore21 I did not come from an endogamous group. Even from a young age of 10-12 years old, I observed the family of grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and naturally, parents and siblings, and concluded that a chromosome took a permanent vacation somewhere. Mind you, no one inside or outside of the family circle assigned us such negativity. I was/am the self-induced alien of the family. Many of my friends have some fascinating family histories that I have loved to hear and they have loved to research. It gives them great joy seeing their ancestral foundation and their personal sense of belonging to their family and their communities.
@@TheTibetyak oh I see. Well my immediate family are all nuts or estranged or dead. but I’ve made great friendships with my 2nd cousins all the way to 4th cousins!! Really wonderful people. You might be surprised how things pan out! My cousin friends are nothing like my immediate family and first cousins at all. Good luck!!
Same.....same. things just don't add up and I don't think I want to know the truth either.
Something similar happened to me. My 2nd great grandfather is listed in the 1880 Census as stepson to a Hawkins. From then on, he took the Hawkins last name (also he died before the 1900 census so there are very few records of him in general). But, his mom was married in 1876 and he was born in 1874. Everyone that I know from this line has Hawkins as the father. So, I had my dad do a Y-dna test. His closest match is a Crumley. I have now found over 100 matches that are from the same Crumley line. I believe it is between two brothers, but I haven't quite nailed down which yet.
I had something similar happen in 2012, while visiting my mother who was in Bahia Inglesa, Chile I find out she was my Great Aunt and I had 3 younger half Siblings I never knew of. I was adopted into the family. And my birth Mom (Who I thought was a Cousin) died 2 days after I visited my Mother who raised me! I was 50 at the time. I will do an Ansestry/Medical Background test this year hopefully to get that straight!
@Hello Dennis how are you doing?
I imagine it would be rather disconcerting to discover that the family members you think you know from your past are not the actual ones. I am quite sure this is the case for most people (not just celebrities) who are completely unaware of it.
Indeed. It changes nothing, people tell you, but yet it changes EVERYTHING.
This was a great episode. Part of my family is Germanic, but I always thought our roots would be in Germany, but I’ve discovered it’s actually what is now Poland.
That's not really surprising cause up until the latter part of the 1940s Poland had a significant German population and not to mention the Germanic Teutons who lived in northern Poland and the Baltic countries. Do you mean your family genetically were Polish or just that they lived in Poland?
@@adamoneil5317 genetically Eastern European, but also they lived in Poland, then to Russia (current Ukraine) when Catherine the great invited immigration, then to Canada.
My mother's family thought they were from Spain before winding up in France. Well we were originally Italian!
Hard thing to hear on camera. Incredible composure ! And, when we can be even more serene about it ... simply fascinating - - the subject of our identities, and all that entails.
I saw Julia's movie with George Clooney a week ago, and noted that she bears strong resemblance to a friend of mine so I was especially interested in this revelation. My friend's father (now deceased) was adopted, and we have been unsuccessful in determining his father. I will research this further on Ancestry and see if I find a connection. My husband is from the Graystock Roberts line in what is now Coffee County. I do not know if he has any connection to the Douglas County Roberts families although they settled in GA about the same time. So glad to find this video!
As Julia matures, what are conventionally acknowledged/accepted in America as her more “Jewish” features are coming to the fore. My Jewish (and beautiful) SIL bears a very striking resemblance to Julia as a younger lady. Your friend may have another rabbit trail to chase in that info.
I don't know why I have stumbled across this thread... cos I was searching for something else... but... I am based in the UK. The name "Mitchells" where I am living in the North of England.. is a family firm of lawyers. Irwin Mitchells. :) There is also the big name in a BBC TV Soap as well.. with the surname "Mitchells" as the family that stayed in the Eastend of London.
I know a girl who looks a lot like her lol
I think it's ironic that her son's name is Henry. My own son's middle name is Joshua. It wasn't until my grandmother told me Joshua was the middle name of her father, my great grandfather. And it's also a name that was handed down by his father. So it's been in my family since the early 1800s. 😊
Her smile is precious..... like a curious child... lovely!!!!
2 years ago we found out the same thing. My dads grandfather was born 2 years after his 'father' had died and through DNA tests we have found cousins with what our actual last name would be. It's wild!
I too am a Mitchell, unexpectedly, though from a different group. My story was also unraveled by DNA tests. Though it goes back only 1 generation I was privileged to restore a lost member of a tight-knit family to his ancestry and found a great bunch of kin in the process.
I am surprised a GA gal from close to Atlanta would not have wondered or asked if she was related to the famous GA writer Margaret Mitchell who wrote GONE with the WIND?
Turns out, it’s the same scenario Re my own paternal ancestry - my grandfather & his sister were brought up by a couple who were not their biological parents, and ever since, all descendants were given that name. It takes a while to get your head around it that’s for sure.
@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
Absolutely fascinating love the series so much I love to dig in my own family history some day❤.
This year I’ve been doing a big project by rewriting my family tree from my grandparents family albums. One of the most shocking discoveries that I’ve noticed about my dad’s family is that my grandfather is actually adopted, my dad told me that my great grandmother had my grandfather with my biological great grandfather but my great grandfather left them when my grandfather is only a few years old, soon after she married another man and that man adopted my my grandfather before having his half siblings. That discovery changed the way how see my family and my name, now I don’t know if could tell my future husband that Saunders is not my biological last name
Best wishes to Julia on her journey for more answers to questions that I'm sure that she now has. I have info on my Dad's family gathered many years ago by my Great Aunt and Uncle, but I still have so many questions. Good luck Julia! You are one of my favorite actresses, whether you are a Roberts or a Mitchell! ❤️
We have a similar story in our family. My 2x great grandmother put the name of her ex husband on my great grandfather's birth certificate. They had been divorced for three years. Y DNA from male family members indicate his father was my gg grandmother's cousin. We are still attempting to pin point which descendant of the same ancestor it could be.
I have something similar going on! I have also had my (male) cousin take a DNA test but still have a hard time determining who the father (of my great great grandfather) was. I have suspicions that it could be a cousin considering how difficult it is to find.
It's good to know your ancestors. I love all my ancestors and happy to know great part of them.
This is a mindblowing fact to consider. Everybody alive today has roots all the way back to the beginning of human history.
Julia Robert’s would be as fine a person and good an actor as she is even if her genetic makeup came from someone with the last name Rutabaga! Love her! Her brother Eric is a fine actor, too.
I wonder if Julia is a cousin of Margaret Mithcell who wrote Gone With the Wind. Julia's family did not go far. Symrna is in Cobb County and only about 20-miles from Douglas County.
That’d be cool
Whoa, right on television for everyone to see. She is a good actress, because she did not flinch. She should get the Oscar for this performance. My, my . . .
A lot of my family’s history was lost long ago. So the only thing I knew growing up was that i Greek, German and Irish. Well thanks to ancestry dna i learned that we weren’t Irish we were actually English. Then a while after that cause I am still researching to this day. I found out that one side of my family goes back as of right now 13 generations in Switzerland. Could be even more generations that I don’t know of yet.
Might your Anglo-Irish ancestors be the Ulster settlers? Coming from Ireland more recently, but from England further back in history.
My Australian family is also using a surname assumed by our ancestor on arrival here. He abandoned his past, and family in England. So we are all living with this history.
Are you related to Kim Cattral? That’s exactly what happened in her family. One of the early episodes of Who Do You Think You Are.
A several greats uncle emigrated to Adelaide. In England all the genealogies presume him dead as a teen. He married a German emigrant who was a three time widow with many children and she bore him a son and daughter, the daughter went on to marry and have many children, a couple of their descendants had DNA tests done and the link was discovered at that time. His last name was also carried by a wealthy family there, I think he took advantage of that.
@@schoolingdiana9086 Prior to independence thousands of British people were sent to the America's. Convicts and the disposessed. They were referred to as Bond servants or Bondsmen. Basically they were sold to landholders for labourers. The Bond was the period of their sentence or contract. It was disguised slavery, and is not aknowleged by many Americans. Australians know this as after American indepenance the British chose another place to send convicts, Australia.
@@jessiec1194 there was a large German immigrant population in South Australia. And place names and wine culture reflect that.
Jeez. I would love to see her conversation with Eric when she tells him, "guess what brother, we're biologically Mitchells, not Roberts."
Love her and her humor! 🥰
I just love this stuff. I've had my DNA done and a friend did my family tree that went WAY back.
That's OK, my great-grandparents were first cousins. I only found out after I asked my grandmother why my great-grandmother's wedding luggage still had the same initials as her maiden name.
my grandparent mums side were second cousins
This is still happening - married women who took their husband's last name and became pregnant for someone other than her husband. Her name will be listed with husband's surname and kid(s) will carry that same surname - no dna connection to husband...some may never know.
Now, Julia should reconnect with her Mitchell relatives😊
I have the same thing going on in my tree. My paternal Great-grandfathers DNA is linked to another family, I've only been able to narrow the search though DNA to his paternal biological grandparents. on the other side, My maternal Great-grandmother was an abandoned orphan. I do not know her exact birth name or birth date, but though DNA I've also been able to narrow the search to one set of grandparents. I hope one day, i'll be able to actually figure out their biological parents.
Keep at it . I started my moms, true biological family. She was adopted in 1930. My mom never knew her true mom and dad. I did the research , started over 20 years ago. Before DNA and all were good. Found her biological family, flew up to Colorado to meet my cousin. Was mind blowing!!! My mom( who passed away in 1986). Would of loved to meet them. There was 10 brothers and sisters. The last 4 youngest children, were given up for adoption. Keep in this was during the depression. Her mom, abandoned them. And her father couldn’t take care of them all. State of Colorado , intervened. Made a promise to my mom, would find them. And I did. ❤️
Best of luck to you! I found my paternal side through Ancestry DNA and genealogy research. Unfortunately, since my dad is black, it is harder to trace that family back too far. Really hope to be able to hire a geneticist to help me.
One important thing to remember while you are researching your family is that you are not responsible for the actions of your ancestors.
Excellent advice!! I tell people if you're going to do DNA testing be prepared for a lot of secrets being uncovered and realizing that your meemaw made not have been telling the whole truth about some stuff...case in point Julia Roberts finding out that her whole family are not Robert(s). My biological father's family goes back to the 1600's from Europe and looking at his family tree there were a few slave owners from Virginia that popped out. As a biracial individual whose great great grandparents were slaves in Texas on my mother's side, all I could say is "what in the Sam Hill kinda hot mess crazy butt blood do I have flowing through me?" DNA tells some interesting stories.
@@marinecorpswarrior915 My surprise happened when an "Uncle" sent me some documents. It turns out my grandma had an affair with a Greek man and my dad was created. I shrugged my shoulders, picked up the cat and danced in the kitchen, singing "Grandma had an affair!". I loved both Daddy (USN) and Grandma dearly, it didn't matter to me.
@@nancyhammons3594 that's a hilarious story about dancing with the 🐈 😂 I'm just glad that after everybody that got together the two right people got together and got me😁 Pray that you and your Big Greek Family plus the cat have a wonderful 2023.
I love this show and I often think of my ancestors since I don´t even carry my grandfather´s name, but just my grandmother's. My father was never oficially recognized by his father, even though he knew him, so my grandma just gave him her last name.
It is very important to understand her roots ✨️ and a dedicated video .
I really love that this stuff exists. I'm pretty sure at least one of the other sites does this kind of thing, too, and I love it. I love hearing about other people's families just as much as I like researching my own, although I haven't actually sat and watched one of these videos. I just like that different people are exploring their family tree and I like that sometimes they find relations to other famous people. I hope someone starts doing this with KZheadrs one day. O/ O/ O/ O/
Julia was my Dad's favourite actress. He would have loved to know she was genetically a Mitchell.
DNA tests were very common in 1835. So, of course, there was record of that.
Same thing happened to me, found out 3 years ago. It's been a wild ride!
Absolutely fascinating. I really enjoy this series.
WOW!!! My mind would have totally been blown like hers was. I could honestly feel the shock she felt!
I loved the episodes of this show that I saw. I only watched two. I think this presenter is very enjoyable and very engaging.
We're delighted to hear that you're such a fan of the show, Patricia. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
My mother's father is of British, Scottish and Irish ancestry and so is related to nearly everyone somehow, someway (see Wikitree). His immediate family went West via the Oregon Trail but the tree also includes men who fought in the Revolutionary War and for the Union Army. The other branches of my family tree include more recent immigrants so I never felt connected to the Americana experience before finding this out.
Not to be annoying but Scottish is part of the British' identity. Though with Scotland being angry at the rest of Britain, I'm sure that they wouldn't mind the exlusion. English*.
@@BlankRami 😆 Thanks, I had no idea.
I’m so happy this show is back ❤!
My paternal surname is exactly the same story as Julia Robert’s. My ancestress was a widow for 4 years when she had my ancestor and named - baptized him (surname) after her “ dead” husband. I’ll keep this video for “ posterity” . Thank you for posting 😊
That's what people used to do in ancient days as an hommage to the deceased husband who had no offspring
I have been working with genetic genealogy for over a decade. This is very common. Especially during or after a war. There was something going on that has been lost to time imo. Neither the mom or children were ostracized. I have found in some cases unique naming happened - and some families have carried particular names in their lines with no idea why. DNA tests are done and then the fog clears.
Thanks for sharing with us
Doing your family history is fascinating. There are many very interesting stories in my family history. And many ancestors who fought in the American Revolution. I love finding out about them.
We're so glad you've been enjoying your own research, Marion! Thanks for taking the time to share with us!
This was a pretty cool find. I'd love to dig into my own family history like this someday.
Do it sooner than "someday" as that day has a tendency to never arrive & family research without team such as Henry Louis Gates has, can be very time consuming, frustrating & too easily dead-end because on doesn't know where to go from there. There's a whole beautiful family tree for a branch of my family, (paternal grandfather) that turns out to be not our bloodline also. But we didn't discover that by research. It was a terrible bomb of info dropped on my father by letters he was given by his "step" father who raised him...in the form of a batch of letters from his Aunt, who he always thought was his mother. The actual mother was portrayed as the Aunt + the biological father he thinks he might be familiar with, in a man who extorted money from his step-father, presumably to keep him quiet. It's weird and besides the difficult fallout for my father, who was planning on going to his grave hiding those secrets & more (re: his mother) It's a terrible shame that his aunt never was able to divulge her secret and therefore never had peace that she was loved and more beloved for her 2 years working with the system fighting for custody of my father. There's more, but all this to say, it's not always a happy, nor comical as Julia's 1st joking reactions. Sometimes, one can spend years, decades believing they know now their family history & here's the family tree as proof, only ifnthey are "lucky" to discover that's not their biological family at all! The good part is very good, in that my father's aunt and step father were wonderful devoted & loving parents for their short lives
I wouldn't get anywhere near a DNA test.
this was so good! I can't wait to do this :) . Julia was the best. But the Edwards guy was open and friendly at the end so he became enjoyable then.
Legally her name is Roberts the name she is born with
Watching Dr. Gates is mind soothing therapy!
We're so glad to hear you've enjoyed watching him, Mo! Are you interested in learning more about your own family tree? The article below will address what you can expect from Ancestry. Please let us know if you have any questions and we'd be happy to help! support.ancestry.com/s/article/Why-Use-Ancestry
I have a lot of interesting family history. My 12th Great Grandfather was Erhart de Rougemont (later changed to Rosamond) from 1495 was a Knights Templar and a Lord, my 2nd Cousin 5x removed was James (Jim) Bowie famous for the Battle at the Alamo and the Bowie Knife, and my 6th Great Grandfather was John Thomas "The Highway Man" Rosamond from England. He was caught stealing and charged with highway robbery and was exiled to the colonies for 14 years of hard labor. Needless to say that my moms 'side was very rebellious and I love finding out more about my family tree.
Another revelation! These stories, and more just like them, demonstrate we have many twists and turns in our backgrounds that we'd never expect or perhaps even desire.
Finding Your Roots is my absolute favorite show on TV & that's saying a lot because I don't watch much TV.
We're thrilled to hear you enjoy it so much, Carl! Do you have a favorite episode?
So random, but I love his blue tie! Interesting findings.
When I was younger, I used to get told all the time how much I reminded people of Julia Roberts. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't my favorite compliment. She's such a class act.
I get told the same a lot too ! I also feel flattered every single time : )
Julia Roberts is the definition of beauty. It's like her soul is the sun and she just shines.
She is a proven satanist.
Ha you should see what people say she is really like
July 7, 2022, I discovered I wasn't a 'King'. I was 'Williamson'. Julia really held it together a whole lot better than I did when I found out.
We're in the same boat Julia. I had the same sir name as my 3 older siblings. I knew my stepfather was not my father. I had an idea my 3 older siblings wore not full brother and sisters. But didn't know for sure till my mother passed away. My brother couldn't wait to tell me after my mother passed away as if he took some pleasure in it. When the father of the 3 older died my mother called me and said y father died. She took it to her grave. My oldest and only brother was old enough to remember. He couldn't leave the memory of my mother alone. It didn't change how i felt about my mother. It only changed how i felt about him.
Hi, Leo. Thanks for sharing. We can understand that this may be difficult for you. We're think that your mother must have loved you very much. It sounds like you cherished her too.
Is there any channel on youtube that runs the entire show?
I learned my grandfather didn’t belong to the man on his birth certificate. I also found that his father was siring kids into his 60s. I have great uncles who are still living. I also helped a cousin track down who his birth mom was.
Great show. Many surprises.
We're so glad to hear you enjoy it, Donna! Thanks very much for watching. 😊
Don't sweat it, Julia, mothers have the sole right to name HER children whatever SHE desires. My mother had 8 children by at least 7 different men before marriage, and we all, to this day, carry our grandfather's last name. She still got married to a childhood friend, who had moved to California and returned, at the age of 50, something but had no children. And might I say, no matter what your last name, you are still bombshell beautiful! ❤ 🌹
You really need to have a channel on youtube or paramount + or netflix or stan or amazon prime that can be watched in australia.. I love this show and I only get to see sippets of it on facebook or youtube..
SBS have a show about genealogy. "Who do you think you are?" There are many versions - English, Australian and US.
Same on KZhead
Oh dang! I am relatedness some Robert's and have family that lived and some still do live in that area...Douglas County, Alma, Waycross, Baxley Cartersville, Ringgold (1 small group and also Kennesaw and Atlanta) and Rome Georgia and Tifton.
Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. has the BEST tie collection. I used to reside in Smyrna, Georgia..on Charleston Trail. the realtor told me that Julia Roberts lived in the neighborhood.
Same here, found out who I was told was my biological father was not. Connected with the real one and we have a fantastic relationship.